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In my opinion Metro Phoenix, there are much friendlier cities than Phoenix but overall it is much better in that regard than Salt Lake and Denver.
Metro Phoenix has alot of extremely snobby individuals, but there are alot of very down to earth individuals also so it really balances out.
I think Salt Lake City has a very intelligent and interesting population overall.
Salt Lake City is a very superficial city but I would not consider it snobby. Salt Lake City personality can be a bit cold but I would not consider it rude.
Salt Lake City is usually decent service, but no smile when it comes to going to stores and restaurants.
I have noticed Salt Lake City is really superficial on looks, there are alot of extremely good looking men and women there and they tend to know it also and play the role.
Denver is not an outwardly rude city, but the population overall is extremely aloof, arrogant and very snobby.
The phrase "Napoleon Complex" was made for Denver.
There is just such a cold vibe in Denver the last decade it is hard to explain. A large percentage of the population seems so unhappy there, hence the rampant drug use, alcoholism and other social issues.
Denver is a massive "Keep Up With the Jones" type city. The main topic of conversation in Denver is what cars people have, what condo they have in the mountains, what college they went to or what new career project they are working on.
Last edited by lovecrowds; 04-23-2021 at 12:04 AM..
I found Phoenix to be awesome between the people and overall vibe.
Unfortunately, when I went to PHX, it was the summer of 2017... during the crazy heat wave they had. Highs were 110 116 121 123 119 116 .. so it wasnt particularly enjoyable. But, the people were amazing!
I fairly recently moved to the SLC area. In fact, I left Texas, a place reputed for friendly people (which I found to not be the case, at least in the Houston area), for SLC; in part, for the social and friendliness factor.
So, of course, the SLC area is going to be my #1, by far and away. While some of the more affluent areas of south Salt Lake and Utah Counties definitely have a "keepin' up with the Joneses" mentality very present, as well as some "righteousness" snobbery in Utah County as it's 85-90% LDS, I witness very little outright hostility or rudeness on a day-to-day basis throughout the area. Aggressive drivers, sure, but little outright hostility; even the drivers aren't as aggressive and rude as what can be found around Houston, Dallas, Austin, and Phoenix. This is really a pleasant place to live and be, for the most part. The local populace are also among the most intelligent and world-traveled I've met in the US; the presence of the LDS church actually has something to do with this.
My #2? Phoenix. How to put this... In some ways, Phoenix reminds me of a sort of Houston in the desert, which pretty much disqualifies me from ever wanting to live there. However, unlike Houston, it has a much more interesting array of suburbs, like Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa and Chandler. The "personalities" of Phoenix seem to vary from month to month (hot weather to miserable weather to cooler weather), neighborhood to neighborhood, and suburb to suburb. Scottsdale is home to some seriously arrogant snobs, but that suburb is so large that it's still hard to define. Tempe is a reputed party town with a large university, but it also has so many established neighborhoods (established by standards of the area anyway). Customer service in the region generally didn't seem very good (competence and friendliness). The Phoenix area seems to be a mix of friendly, cheerful people who might not be quite as sharp or interesting as their SLC counterparts, coupled with the very superficial, arrogant and aggressive.
My last place? Denver, by a long shot. Denver, as well as the whole Colorado Front Range region, seems to be chock full of people who don't smile, who are aloof, and who are just...out there. Unwilling to converse. Customer service seemed to be very poor. Maybe it was just when I went last in 2019, but the only friendly people I met out there in a week were an English transplant, a cool bartender in downtown Denver, and a few rural-type suburbanites. That was it, really.
I'm a Salt Lake City native, but have spend time in both Phoenix and Denver for work. I've always loved Salt Lake, but then I was born here and it's just home. I always loved going to Phoenix on business. The people were the nicest I've ever encountered anywhere in the US. Denver was the exact opposite.
No city is friendlier than any other. Humans are humans no matter which geographic spot on the map they occupy. People who say Denver is snobby are wrong.
Looks like Denver is indeed the least friendliest city out of these 3 western cities. I feel like in Phoenix, the friendliest areas are Gilbert and Chandler. I wonder if Peoria, Avondale, or the West Valley suburbs are friendly as well. I live in Chandler and haven't spent a lot of time out in the west valley. I've found Scottsdale to be laid back. Tempe and Mesa I've found to be the least friendliest.
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